


If Atlas Falls

by princey_pie



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Abuse, Abuse of Authority, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Angst, Blackmail, Blood, Capture, Illusions, M/M, Magic, Minor Character Death, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Poison, Torture, Whipping, Whump
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-02
Updated: 2020-08-16
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:01:19
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,938
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25659397
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/princey_pie/pseuds/princey_pie
Summary: Janus leads the resistance against the cruel king who took the throne. But all it takes to fall apart is one lost battle and he gets captured.Now his survival, and that of his second in command who happens to be his boyfriend as well, rests solely on his shoulders. Can he carry that burden or will he break?
Relationships: Deceit | Janus Sanders/Logic | Logan Sanders, Deceit | Janus Sanders/Original Male Character(s), Loceit
Comments: 10
Kudos: 40
Collections: TSS Fanworks Collective





	1. The End

Janus groaned as the impact pressed all air out of his lungs. A knee dug into his back and a hand further forced his face into the dusty ground. The wound on his head throbbed as blood slowly trickled down on the side. The shouts and clang of weapons around him died slowly as his hands were bound and fixated on his back. The knight behind him hauled him to his knees. Janus didn't need to look around to know that they lost.

His surviving comrades were lined up next to him in the same manner. Deceit slowly glanced left and right and his throat tightened as he saw just how short the line was. His vision was swimming and no longer from the blow to his head alone.

Still, he could hear hooves trampling in the distance. A small brigade of neighing horses stopped in front of them, whirling a cloud of hot dust into their direction.

Janus blinked up at them and winced as the bright golden armors reflected the sun far too brightly for his buzzing skull. It wasn't fair, he thought, how clearly they paraded around with their shining armor without so much as a scratch while his friends died in the sand with little more than hardened leather to protect them.

Janus' attention snapped to the man in the middle as his boots hit the ground. Janus clenched his teeth as the usurper casually strode towards him as if this was nothing that another sunny afternoon without a care in the world. His men retreated from his path like the shore before a tsunami.

He walked along their line, inspected every single of Janus' fighters individually. Most kept their gaze adverted, some simply starring down at the sand which was slowly soaking up the spilled blood.

Janus couldn't blame them. Lord Magnus, or rather King Magnus by what everyone but Janus' rebels seemed to call him, wasn't known for his calm temper.

Only two held his piercing orange gaze. Percy, one of their messenger boys, never knew when to back down for his own sake. The other was Logan.

Janus fought a smile down. Logan never hesitated to tell anybody what exactly he thought about them directly to their face. It had been one of the thousand reasons why Janus had fallen for him. And one of the thousand reasons why Janus had to rescue him out of so many quarrels. Although back then he had mostly been concerned for Logan's opponent. But now- Janus forcibly swallowed his tears down.

Magnus had reached Janus. With a cruel grin and a pompous gold crown, he was looming over Janus.

Janus put all his venom into his look, straightening himself as much as possible with his hands behind his back and a knight resting a heavy, chain mail covered hand on his shoulder. But he was their leader and Janus would be damned if he showed any kind of weakness in front of their enemy.

The silence stretched between them as Janus glared at the usurper, unwilling to speak first. Should the grinning bastard take the first step. Janus won't yield.

Magnus let out a barking laugh. He laughed at Janus' glare. Janus had never wanted to punch someone that much before.

"I have to admit I'm enjoying this even more than I thought, I would. For two years you and your rebellion scum friends have been a thorn in my flesh. But you won't cause me any more trouble, hmmm?" Magnus bent down and brought his face closer to Janus'.

Janus grinned back and spat him in the face.

With a howl, Magnus stumbled back and frantically wiped at his eye.

Janus could only bask in the small victory (too small, too late) for the brisk of a second before a fist crashed against his temple and almost knocked him out. Janus sagged in the knight's grip as the world filled with black spots, his vision throbbing.

Shouts forced him back into awareness. Magnus slapped the knight behind Janus. "Don't kill him, you idiot! I want him alive. Besides-" the usurper gripped Janus chin between his gloved fingers and raised his face to face towards him again- "it would be a shame to scar such a pretty face."

Janus considered if he would be able to bite through the leather of the glove.

Magnus let a few strands of Janus' long hair run through his other hand. The sand and the blood from his head wound have done their part to dirty it but its' original pale blonde color still shone trough.

"Pretty indeed," Magnus mumbled to himself. Then his face lit up with an idea. Janus was getting the impression that he wouldn't like it.

The usurper pointed at Percy and Logan as he gestured for the knight to pull Janus to his feet. "Take these two to the dungeons." He sent a malice smile over his shoulder. "Kill the rest."

Janus felt himself shouting something but he was disconnected from his body. Everything was moving too slow and too fast at the same time. He could hear Logan spitting an insult at one of the guards, or maybe Magnus himself. And he heard the cling of weapons and the dull thunk of bodies hitting the floor.

His gaze tunneled in on the usurper and he lunged forward, desperate to do any kind of damage. He was yanked back, something collided with his stomach and the sudden explosion of pain sent him into unconsciousness.


	2. I Will Not Bow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Janus surprisingly did not like being captured. Too bad that it wasn’t his choice anymore.

The first thing Janus noticed when he rose from sleep was the silence. He wrinkled his forehead. In the cave system just underneath the edge of the mountains, one could never escape the howling of the wind coursing over the rough stones. The soft swishing meant home to Janus, and to most of his people. It meant safety. Now there was silence. Unconsciously Janus stiffened and there was a soft clinking from metal next to his ear.

Janus' eyes shot open and he was faced with a room nothing like the homey little cave he shared with Logan. He wasn't lying on their makeshift bed with the coarse sheets that smelled of sandalwood and sun, but a purple, satin covered couch that was backed against the wall.

The wall he was shackled to. There were golden chains bolted in between the light stone, leading to his wrists and neck where they ended in tight bracelets. Janus took deep deliberate breaths trying not to panic. They've been caught and now he was chained up. No big deal, right?

At least he was still alive, most of his friends meanwhile- Janus gulped. Not the right time for that line of thought. He needed to focus.

Janus clung to the hope that Logan was still alive, he had seen him taken alive. And while Janus had no way to find out how much time passed from then until now, he had to believe that Logan managed to stay alive. After all, Logan was the smartest person he knew and had shaped the rebellion as much, if not more, than Janus had. Janus was just their face, their voice to unite under, while Logan made all their brilliant plans. Janus had to trust that he made it.

Janus didn't like either that this room didn't look like a prison cell. It was fairly big, lots of expensive looking fabric, a king size double bed with heavy drapes in a rich purple, littered with orange embroidery. The floor suspiciously looked like marmor. Janus couldn't care less about the display of luxury. He would have much preferred the colorful but coarse wool patchwork blanket Logan hung in front of the entrance of their home cave to give them some privacy. Instead, he got the heavy carved oak wooden door with a golden lock and doorknob in a sun shape.

The whole thing screamed extravagantly in a way that opened a pit in Janus' stomach. Even the fabric felt wrong under his fingertips. He knew best that the gold to buy all this was dripping with the blood of innocents.

There were even double-winged glass doors, leading to a large balcony that had a fantastic view over the lands a few floors down. It showed patches of green palm trees casting shadows over small lakes and bubbling streams before the sand reclaimed its territory. The endless desert stretched until the horizon.

The pit in Janus' stomach dropped open and he sank into it like quicksand. He was in the palace. The palace that was built in the middle of an oasis, surrounded by nothing but sand and deathly heat. The only way out was one of the three merchant streets that offered little to no cover. An escape would be next to impossible.

Janus slowly stood, glad that at least his head wasn't hurting anymore. Only his mouth was dry like sanding paper. He reached out and touched the spot where his head wound had been and only found a small bump. Janus must have been unconscious for a longer time than he thought, he noticed concerned.

He pulled at the chains, testing their strength, and only got a cling for his effort as the metal links strained against each other. He wouldn't be able to break out without any sort of tool. But with his movement limited to the couch, barely a step away from it, nothing was within reach.

Of course, the door chose that moment to open.

Janus drew up his shoulders in a defensive stance as Magnus strolled into the room. He briefly caught a look on the two knights standing guard outside in the corridor before it shut again.

He threw a disgusted look at the abnormality of the crown on the other's head. The amount of gold alone, not to mention the orange gleaming fire opals littering the whole thing, could feed a family for well over a year.

"Awake again I see, my topaz." Magnus was smiling. On him, it looked slimy rather than a sign of friendliness.

Janus suppressed a shudder as being referred to by the name of a gemstone as if he was nothing less than another stolen piece in his greedy hoard, along with his other treasures.

Janus stubbornly crossed his arms. He felt far too self-conscious in his own plain clothes, weirdly out of place in a way that he had no doubt was intended by his opponent. Neither of them was a stranger to mind games. But Janus was not in the mood. No use fighting a powerful enemy in his own territory.

"Drop the facade. I'm not going to fall for your tricks, and especially not for your lies you hide behind a terrible smile."

Magnus didn't falter once and Janus felt the hate for the usurper boiling in his stomach.

"And here I was, only trying to make polite conversation with my guest. I even brought you a refreshment," Magnus opened his arms in a grand gesture.

Janus saw that he was holding a waterskin. He could hear the inside splash around, very aware of his burning throat. He dryly gulped.

"Guests are able to leave whenever they please," he growled. "And I certainly don't want your poisoned water," he forced himself to say despite his dry throat begging him to take it.

Magnus shrugged. "Suit yourself," he took a deliberate gulp from the water and then slowly poured it onto the floor in front of Janus, just out of his reach, with a sadistic grin. "I'll leave it here in case you change your mind."

Janus fletched his teeth at him. He wasn't desperate enough to lick anything from the floor.

Magnus joyfully hummed as he stepped up to the glass door, directing his gaze outside. The melody he hummed under his breath picked up the pace, sounding like nothing Janus ever heard before.

Then it suddenly stopped and Janus rapidly blinking to focus on the situation around him again. He must have been more tired than he thought and his current dehydration couldn't be helpful with that.

The king was facing him again and Janus couldn't repress a flinch in time. He hadn't seen him turn back to him.

"Tomorrow you will step in front of the court and swear your loyalty to me," Magnus explained to him. "You'll tell them that your pitiful resistance is over and call for all that leftover rebels to follow your example and lay down their weapons. If they do, I'll show them mercy."

Janus raised his chin. "I'd rather die than bow to you."

Magnus chuckled. "But that is not a choice, darling, I merely told you how it will go. If not tomorrow, then another day. But you will bow to me. Better obey me sooner than later, I'm not a patient man."

"You're not a man but a monster," Janus spat out.

Calmly Magnus came closer, just out of range of Janus' chains. He looked into his eyes for a moment. There was no change in his expression, not the slightest movement in his eyes, no warning at all before Magnus backhanded him. The harsh slap contrasted with his quiet voice, still eerily calm. "You will obey me. I have my ways of having people see reason."

"Torture them you mean."

The usurper shrugged. "Sometimes. But don't worry darling, I won't torture you. I have something different in mind..."

Janus chose to not ask about Logan or Percy. Better not to remind the keeper of his prisoners.

"But I see you are not in the mood for pleasantries, my dear topaz, but don't worry, you'll learn to treasure them soon enough," Magnus promised him before he retreated. "Think carefully about what you will say tomorrow."

Within the blink of an eye, Logan was alone again. The sun already set outside, tinting the room red. Janus sank back down onto the couch. He knew he couldn't give in now, so he needed a way out but how?

As the sun had gone down fully behind the horizon in what felt like mere seconds, he heard a clatter from the hallway. The door opened, quieter this time and a young man in a servant uniform sneaked into the room.

Janus could make out the two knights laying on the floor in the moonlight.  
He opened his mouth to ask but the servant cut him off. "No time to ask questions, you have to be out of the palace before the guards' shift at midnight. There's a horse ready in the stable."

He pulled a key from his pocket and the chains became undone with nothing much than a quiet tinkle.

"Thank you," Janus whispered back, "But why?"

"The resistance has a lot of friends even here. We like the king about just as much as you do. And now hurry."

He sneaked back into the corridor and Janus quickly followed. He caught up soon and grabbed the other's arm. "Wait! I'm not alone here, two of my men are imprisoned here as well. Do you know where?"

The servant reluctantly nodded. "They were separated. One is in the dungeons, the others in the western tower just above the king's personal torture chamber." He chewed his lip. "There's not enough time before your escape will be discovered, you won't be able to get them both in time."

"Then we'll split up."

The servant vigorously shook his head. "Only knights are stupid enough o drink from a stranger's cup, the trick won't work on normal guards. Neither of us would be able to handle two guards without raising any alarm. I need to get you out, you're the heart of the rebellion."

Janus shook his head. "I won't leave without them."

The servant huffed. "Then you doomed us all. Together we might be able to get one out. But you have to choose."

Janus' heart clenched.

Percy was just a boy, barely nineteen. But could he leave Logan behind? "The one with the glasses, where is he?"

"The tower. Now come on, we wasted enough time already. We have to hurry."

They sneaked through the hallways and luck seemed to be on their side, no one crossed their path. As they reached their destination each of them ambushed one of the chattering guards from behind and quickly knocked them unconscious. They didn't even get the chance to make a sound. With his adrenaline rush, Janus didn't even feel where the guard had stomped on his foot.

Janus searched them for the keys and hurriedly unlocked the door. Logan was tied to a chair in the middle of the room but seemed unharmed otherwise if a bit exhausted. He looked up as Janus entered and rushed to his side.

Janus felt like he could breathe again as soon as he heard his love's voice. It sounded a little off, rough from disuse, but it still made his heart sing. "You're here."

"I told you before that I'm not leaving you, not ever." Janus yanked the last of the binds free and pulled Logan into his arms.

"We'll get out of here, starshine, I promise."

He couldn't help himself but press a quick kiss against his lips. He thought, he would never get a chance to hold his boyfriend again and now that Janus had him back, he didn't plan on letting go ever again. Only reluctantly they separated and set off to the stables.

Magnus looked down at Janus lying on the purple couch, gold chains gleaming in the golden afternoon light. He smirked and brushed a strand of hair away from the rebel leader's orange glowing eyes.

He saw what he needed to know. The king snapped his fingers. The glow faded, sending his prisoner into a deep sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a short music suggestion for this fic since I think that Pressure from Youngblood Hawke fits Janus’ character very well. (I also realized that I named this fic after me without realizing, it’s really just the tile of my fav song from Shinedown which would fit Janus and Logan too...) Also, feel welcome scream at me at any time, your comments are always a delight :)


	3. Not With A Bang But With A Cheering Crowd

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Janus has to make a decision...

Janus startled awake to warm sunlight flooding the room. At first, he was confused about why he wasn't riding through the hot desert on a horse with Logan in the saddle behind him. Then he blinked away the last of sleep from his eyes and the bedroom in the palace returned into focus. Confused, he looked around, he even snapped a finger against his own arm. It slightly stung and Janus was sure he wasn't imaging his surroundings. He hadn't escaped last night, he hadn't freed Logan. Nobody was coming for them outside of his dreams.

Janus sat up with a sigh. A headache started to form behind his eyes already. The morning passed painfully slow and uneventful despite a servant bringing him some fruit and cold water for breakfast. They also opened the balcony doors, letting a warm but still refreshing breeze into the room. No matter what Janus tried, the other refused to talk to him and vanished quickly after his tasks were finished.  
So Janus ate and watched as the see-through silk curtains danced in the warm desert wind. Janus knew that the air outside of the shadowy palace with the surrounding palm trees and ponds would be unbearably hot. And yet Janus would love to be back at the foot of the mountains and complain to Logan about sweating and the sand getting everywhere.

It was late in the afternoon when two guards entered his room and unceremonially grabbed him. Janus tried to keep his head up and his feet under him as they hauled him out of the room with little success. After many flights of stairs, they reached giant carved double doors made out of the same dark wood that Janus' prison room ones were made of. They opened with an echoing creak and Janus was dragged into the throne room.

Gigantic stone pillars lined both sides of the room. The floor was made of a polished version of the red marble Janus had seen in the mountains. Instead of a wall, the right side of the hall was cut off by a large but shallow pool of water. Beyond it, deep down on the ground were the palace gardens. The people walking down there in the green shadow were tiny like ants. Every king residing here truly looked down onto the world. Janus hated the sheer sight. His confidence wavered only for a second as he saw the room absolutely packed. Bootlickers and members of old nobility and families of rich and powerful merchants lingered around in the vast hall and whispered to each other.

Over them all throned Magnus on his golden throne. He was clad in muted orange and gold hues. The throne has spread golden owl wings on each side of the seat, making it look like they belonged to Magnus himself. To Janus, it was just another lie.

The crowd fell silent as the guards threw him to the floor in front of the throne. With his chains rattling against the stone floor, Janus pushed himself upright on his knees. The knight next to him laid a hand on his sword hilt. The warning was clear.

Magnus spread out his arms. "My dear people, I have gathered you here today to witness an event of truly historical magnitude. The leader of the traitors, that call themselves rebels, has come here to finally speak his oath to the crown."

A low rumble went through the crowd.

Janus smiled at Magnus' sour expression. It wasn't the cheer we had been expecting. While he might have the merchants on his side, the old families favored tradition over gold. They wouldn't forget so easily that Magnus had once been nothing but a mere lord who used his chance after the previous king died.

"I can assure you, I came here to did no such thing." Janus grin widened as Magnus' face turned from sour to furious. "Our loyalty lies with the people of this land, not with a power-hungry and greedy upstart."

Janus imagined that he could hear one or two approving murmurs from the crowd, and he certainly saw more than one noble nodding to themselves. Still, no one dared to speak out. Yet. If Janus played his cards right, he might gain a few new supporters today. Right under the usurper's nose on top of that.

Magnus was still for a moment, taking his time to regain his composure. "I thought I made myself clear what would happen if you'd fail to see the error of your ways. But as you wish, I'm not only the king but also the father of this land and the people. And as a good father should, I'll discipline each of my children when they break my rules."

Magnus nodded to the guards behind Janus. They stepped forward, grabbing Janus and pushing him forward, making him lean his weight on his hands. Janus' struggle achieved nothing as they ripped his shirt open.

"You'll serve as an example of what happens to those who refuse to yield to my wisdom."

Janus heard more steps behind him, then a hissing swish of air. The whip ht his back with a crack and white blinding pain seared through his body.

Janus screamed and he screamed again as the second blow hit. He tried to compose himself, to gather his bearings to put up any kind of resistance but with every new hit, his thoughts scattered again.  
An eternity seemed to pass before it stopped.

The pain throbbed under his skin but at least he couldn't feel any liquid trickling down so they probably didn't break the skin. A small comfort but not surprising. Magnus had made it clear that if Janus died, it would be only by his command and not something mundane like an infection.

Janus was trembling in his captors' hold. His arms gave out as they let him fall. His face collided with the floor and Janus growled into the floor. Sheer stubbornness made him get his hands under him and push himself up to his knees again. Strands of hair fell into his face. He didn't have the strength for more and decided to save himself the humiliation to try. The guards probably wouldn't let him anyway. He glanced up at the throne.

Magnus hadn't left his spot but was grinning with delight at Janus' pain. Or maybe his defiance. "Ready to be a bit more cooperative? Or shall I set the mood a bit more?"

Janus spat out blood, sadly it didn't reach all the way up the podest to Magnus' feet.

"Fuck you!" he hissed.

He could survive torture but he wouldn't give in to a fate of self-chosen slavery, living by the usurper's whims. Until there would be another election for the next ruler like it had been tradition for centuries, he would yield to no monarch.

Magnus' smile sent a cold shover down Janus's spine. Magnus jerked his head to the right and the guards dragged him between two giant pillars. They pulled him to his feet and put the chains around his wrists onto hooks drilled high up the pillars. Janus had to bite back a shout as his arms were forced above his head, the stretch painfully pulling at the wounds on his back.

Janus expected another round of flogging or similar torture. Instead, Magnus turned his attention away from Janus.

"Bring him in!"

The doors to the courtroom opened and two more guards dragged a struggling figure into the middle of the room.

It was as if someone had pulled the floor from under Janus' feet. All blood left his face as he saw Logan forced to kneel in the same spot he did seconds ago but facing Janus and not the throne. His love was in heavier chains than himself, although they were made of iron instead of gold. His black hair was dirty and flopped over his face without its usual volume. His mouth was gagged with a piece of cloth. Still, Logan's dark blue eyes found focus don him with their usual sharpness.

Janus's heart stung at the spark of fury he saw in his book nerd's eyes. Even in his situation, Logan was furious about seeing Janus hurt. Janus tried his best to communicate over his eyes that I would be okay, they would get out, that he loved Logan and that he was sorry. The guards stripped him in the same manner as Janus.

Logan only broke eye contact when the first lash hit. He convulsed in the guards' grip, stubbornly biting back a scream. He kept silent until the first dozen hits. He lasted until the thirteenth hit then his agonized scream echoed through the hall, amplified against the marble, even through the gag.

Janus desperately wanted to reach out, to comfort him, to stop this. Janus yanked on his chains but they didn't give an inch. He was left helpless to watch.

Soon Logan was bleeding, the torturer using all of his brute strength now. Just as Janus had suspected, they had been holding back with him. But why?

He asked himself where Magnus possibly could be known of his and Logan's connection. Or was it just a coincidence? Was it just a stroke of bad luck that he was picked from the imprisoned rebels?

A look at the throne told him no, this was deliberate. Magnus's eyes were gleaming with cruel satisfaction. As the usurper noticed his gaze, his lips curled into a smirk and he inclined his head to the foot of his throne in question.

Janus yerked his head away but his only alternative was watching the man he loved being whipped bloody. The floor was slippery with the cooper-smelling red liquid already and tears dripped uncontrollably from behind his glasses, down his cheeks. His chest heaved with shallow breaths.

Logan had run out of strength, Janus saw the painfully obvious signs and he had no doubt that Magnus did too.

Ice gripped Janus's heart in a tight chokehold. The ruler didn't need Logan, it would mean nothing to him to let him die right then, and there in front of Janus' eyes. On the contrary, Janus firmly believed that he would get some sick satisfaction out of it.

But what could he do? Betray everything they fought and what their people, their friends died for in the past months? Janus prayed to whatever deity would listen that he would find an out, anything else but give in and to damn them all or to let his love die while he stood by and said nothing.

As if to answer his prayers, the torturer stepped back, lowering the whip. Logan was limply hanging in the guards' grip. His head hung and Janus couldn't see his face.

Janus gulped as panic tightened his throat. How could he live with himself if he didn't speak up? How could he, if he did?

Miraculously, Logan found the strength to lift his gaze to meet Janus' eyes. Barely noticeable he shook his head. Don't do it. Don't give him what he wants, his eyes screamed at him.

Despite his own desperation, Janus gave a small nod back. He would find a way, he always did. Logan was good at strategy but Janus was good at improvisation.

He straightened his posture, despite his own wounds protesting. He fixated Magnus and pulled out the fake confidence he adopted during his role as a rebellion leader.

"You think torturing me, or my men, will give you power? You stole the crown and perverted everyone associated with it. We will never yield to you." His words vibrated under the high ceiling.

Murmurs were rising around the hall and for a second Magnus looked unsure. Janus allowed himself to grin, even if it felt stretched and unnatural. It was the usurper's mistake to give him an audience. Janus always had a knack to talk himself out of difficult situations. Only now did no only his life but also that of his partner depend on it.

"Funny," Magnus dared to sound amused, "I suspected you would say that. So I prepared a special surprise."

A side door opened and another torturer stepped through with a scalding hot, glowing branding iron.

Janus paled, eyes immediately finding Logan. Gone was everything from his expression besides blank terror. Janus had only seen that expression that one time when the candle on their nightstand had tipped over and set fire to their rug. Logan was trembling where he was kneeling.

The man approached, red iron ready in his fist. With the tiniest last bits of strength, Logan tried to twist out of his captor's grips. To no avail, their grips held him down in his spot.

Without meaning to, Janus was shouting: "Stop!"

All the court's eyes were on him but Janus had only eyes for Logan who was frantically shaking his head and trying to form words behind his gag as more tears soaked the cloth.

"I'll surrender. Leave him alone. I'll speak my oath but I have conditions first."

"Do you now?" Magnus's voice sounded more amused than triumphant. Janus still couldn't bring himself to look away from Logan's face. He knew that the other, would he be in his right mind and not blinded by panic, would probably beg him to stop but Janus refused to let him suffer any longer for the mistakes Janus made. It was his fault that got him into this mess in the first place.

"You let my men go, unharmed, and with enough food and water to reach the next town."

Janus turned away as Logan frantically began shaking his head but if he had to leave Janus behind to survive then so be it.

Magnus leaned back on his throne and lifted a finger to his lips as if he was contemplating the offer. "No," he hummed.

"No?" Janus echoed.

"No, I don't think I will. I have no guarantee without them that you'll keep your word. You rebelled once, what would keep you from trying again? Your men stay." He crocked his head. "But I guess, if you swear your loyalty to me and continue to be on your best behavior, I could be inclined to hurt them not as bad."

Janus realized at this moment that his fate was sealed. He was now only negotiating the price of his life. "When I stay then they won't be harmed at all. Not by you or by the scoundrels you call guards. Unless you're afraid of a few bound men."

"Fine," Magnus agreed, dismissively waving his hand. Janus exhaled once in relief, at least Logan would live and maybe be able to later escape with Percy.

"But-" Janus jerked back to attention as he heard the undertone the other's voice "-first you have an important lesson to learn, my dear topaz."

Magnus sauntered down from his throne and grabbed the hot iron.

Janus felt nausea rising in his stomach. "What are you doing?"

He smiled at Janus. "Teaching you your lesson. See, the thing is, no matter what, you're not in the position to make demands. You're not in control. I am."

With that, he jabbed the iron down into Logan's shoulder. Logan hoarsely screamed in pain before his voice gave out and he slumped unconscious.

Janus screamed with him. "Stop! Stop, you sick bastard! What are you-"

Magnus coldly stared back at him and twisted the iron in the wound. "Showing you your place. This won't stop until you truly surrender yourself to me."

Janus could only watch in horror. He wanted to scream and curse at the noble but he feared what damage this monster could further do with the scalding iron still in hand.

The sickening smell of burnt flesh filled the room. Janus bit onto his tongue until he tasted blood.

"Good, you're starting to understand your place here," Magnus carelessly tossed the iron aside and returned to his seat on the throne. "Now I think you have an oath to make."

At his signal, Janus chains were lowered and dismounted from the pillars. Janus slowly made his way to the feet of the throne podium. He had to be careful to step around the growing puddle of Logan's blood. His feet felt as if they were filled with lead. He only hesitated for a heartbeat before he let himself down on one knee.

He kept his eyes on the king's boots as he spoke. It took all his self-control to keep his voice steady. "By these words. I, Janus Devian, leader of the sandstorm rebellion, declare my loyalty to King Magnus Illiduare for he is the righteous ruler of these lands. The rebellion is over. I call all other citizens to follow my example." Janus finished and clamped his mouth shut. He felt hollow, only his heart was frantically beating in the empty cave of his chest. Now Janus could only hope that the king would keep up his end of the bargain.

A hand lifted his head by his hair. Janus was once more looking into the king's face, his features contorted into a cruel smirk. "Well done. Well done, indeed."

Before Janus could fight the grip, Magnus released him and addressed the court. "Let it be known that there is no one, not nobility, not a commoner, not an animal, or even the stars above, that do not follow my will. The traitorous rebels are gone! From this day on our country is united again as a new age dawns! One king, one crown, one land!"

Janus closed his eyes as the court began to cheer, first hesitantly, then louder and with more vigor, chanting the king's name. In the noise, Janus could only hear the death cries of those who would suffer under the hands of a tyrant.


End file.
